Loyiso Gola on how to tell a great joke that'll get big laughs

Cape Town - Local comedian Loyiso Gola joins the hilarity on Comedians of the World, on Netflix from 1 January 2019.

The show, which was filmed in Montreal, brings together 47 comedians from 13 regions in 8 languages, for the stand-up comedy series. (Read more here)

This was Loyiso's fourth visit to Montreal, and he calls the city "cool, fun and great."

He says: "I travel the world all the time to do stand-up. But the recognition is appreciated, especially being part of such a big global game-changer in terms of how we consume content."

The co-creator and former anchor of the late-night satirical TV news show Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola describes his comedy style as "frank." 

"I usually describe my style as 'the drunk uncle.' That guy who says crazy stuff all the time. I pride myself on saying crazy things," he adds.

About deciding on the material for his set, Loyiso says it was "tricky," saying: "About 70% of the material is totally brand-new, and some of it was an expansion of older stuff that I hadn't really done for the world yet."

When asked how he tailors his comedy to different audiences, he says: "Aside from talking about current affairs, it's pretty much the same."

He says: "There are different ways to approach a joke. You have to understand what makes people laugh in the first place."

"There's a reason certain types of joke work really well, like the 'three men walk into a bar' structure," he explains.  

"It sets up your brain to think one way, and the third part of joke always has to be obscure. The first part of the joke takes the brain into a certain direction. So, the brain feels safe, and then 'wham!' the brain isn't safe anymore. You can use this technique on your every day jokes."

From the talented line-up of comedians on the series, Loyiso looks forward to watching Mae Martin from Britain and Australian comedian Urzila Carlson. 

Comedians of the World is available on Netflix now. 

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